Knossos Wine & More: Private Tour with Winery Tasting

Taste four Cretan wines while standing in the ruins of the Minoan palace.

A private tour of Knossos Archaeological Site and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, paired with wine tasting at a family-owned winery and lunch in the traditional village of Archanes. A certified guide leads the day in your choice of five languages, covering eight hours and four distinct stops across Crete's cultural and culinary landscape.

The experience

The tour opens at Knossos, where the rebuilt palace sits at the heart of Minoan civilization: the oldest advanced society in Europe. A certified guide walks you through the site's layout and history before moving to the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, which holds the greatest collection of Minoan art on the island. The museum's finds come from across Crete and show the sophistication of the culture that built Knossos over 3,500 years ago.

From there, the route moves to a family-owned winery in the heart of Crete's wine region. You taste four different local varieties (vilana, kostifali, vidiano and others) grapes that have been cultivated on the island since antiquity. Cretan winemakers have won international awards for these wines, and the tasting happens in the winery itself, not a tourist shop. Lunch follows in Archanes, a traditional village named one of the most picturesque in Crete, where you eat in a small family-run taverna serving home-grown and freshly prepared dishes: dolmades, dakos, tzatziki, rooster braised in wine, gemista, moussaka, and loukoumades for dessert.

The day ends with time to walk Archanes' narrow pathways and sit in the village square, where locals gather: a glimpse of everyday Cretan life away from the archaeological sites. Hotel pickup and private transportation are included, and the guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and two additional languages depending on availability.

What’s included

• Private transportation.
• tasting of four different Cretan wines at the winery.
• lunch in a traditional taverna in Archanes.
• coffee and tea.
• all fees and taxes. Entrance tickets to Knossos Palace and the Heraklion Archaeological Museum are included depending on which option you select at checkout.

Options for this experience

3 options

Knossos Wine & More for 2Up to 4 per booking · Guide in 6 languages · No fixed timeLasts 8 hours with lunch, travels by private car with driver, pickup is included

Knossos Wine & MoreUp to 6 per booking · Guide in 6 languages · No fixed timeLasts 8 hours, includes lunch, travels in a luxury minivan, pickup is included

Knossos Wine & More for 10 peopleUp to 15 per booking · Guide in 6 languages · No fixed timeLasts 8 hours with lunch, travels by minibus, includes pickup

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 17 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyInfant seats availableNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by LuxuryCrete

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to combine Crete's most important archaeological sites with the island's wine culture and village life in a single day: the private guide and fixed itinerary fit all four stops into eight hours without rushing between them.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Russian.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is there to see at Knossos Archaeological Site?

Knossos is the rebuilt palace of the Minoan civilization, the oldest advanced society in Europe, dating back over 3,500 years. The site shows the layout and scale of the royal complex at the heart of that ancient kingdom, and your guide explains the history and purpose of each area as you walk through it.

How does the wine tasting work at the winery?

You visit a family-owned winery in Crete's main wine region and taste four different local grape varieties: indigenous Cretan wines that have been produced since antiquity. The tasting takes place at the winery itself, and the winemakers often discuss their methods and the grapes they grow.

What kind of food is served at lunch in Archanes?

Lunch is in a small family-run taverna serving authentic Cretan dishes prepared fresh from home-grown ingredients. The menu includes dolmades, dakos with tomato and cheese, tzatziki, rooster braised in wine, gemista vegetables, moussaka, and loukoumades, honey-fried pastry balls, for dessert.

Do I need to arrange my own transportation to the tour?

No. Hotel pickup and private transportation throughout the day are included in the tour price. The guide collects you from your accommodation and handles all movement between Knossos, the museum, the winery, and Archanes.

What does the Heraklion Archaeological Museum contain?

The museum holds the greatest collection of Minoan art and artifacts on the island, with finds brought together from archaeological sites across Crete. These pieces show the artistic skill and daily life of the civilization that built Knossos.